Are you Dairy free?
Many of us who are Celiac or gluten intolerant are also allergic to Dairy.
Lucky for us, there are a number of dairy-free alternatives on the market for our morning cereal, including almond or rice milk, soy or even hemp milk.
But when I want something rich and creamy to replace the cream in a recipe, nothing satisfies quite like coconut milk.
I’ve been craving some of this amazing Avocado Pudding recently.
The other day, as I grabbed an avocado from the fridge, I spotted a jar of leftover Coconut Cream – and suddenly had an epiphany.
What if I added some coconut cream to the original recipe?
I imagined something even more decadent, rich and creamy, a sort of chocolate mousse with a twist.
Coconut cream, by the way, refers to the thick layer of solids you find at the top of a can of coconut milk.
For this particular recipe, the full fat variety is best – especially since it yields a generous amount of coconut cream.
In other words, when you open a can of Lite Coconut Milk, there will be some cream on top, but not nearly as much.
Of course, once you’ve scooped out the cream, the remaining liquid in the can will be thinned out and less flavorful – but still perfect for smoothies.
Coconut milk is also ideal for cream-based soups.
In this case, it doesn’t matter whether you use canned coconut milk, or the kind in a box – for most recipes, the two are interchangeable.
Whether to use full fat, or lite varieties is also a matter of personal preference, unless a recipe specifically states one or the other.
In which case, I would definitely follow the recommendations within the recipe!
Note: Yes, coconuts are considered a nut. So, if you have a nut allergy, you will want to steer clear and rely on rice, soy or hemp milk instead.
COCONUT CUCUMBER SOUP
So refreshing on a hot summer day!
½ cup Coconut Milk (lite is fine)
½ medium Cucumber, peeled and cut into chunks
½ Avocado, peeled and cut into chunks
½ to 1 cup Water
½ tsp Sea Salt, or to taste
Large handful Cilantro
Toss all the ingredients into a blender – a Vita-Mix is ideal – and blend on High for about 30 seconds, or until smooth and creamy.
The soup will appear very thick and pale green in color.
For variety, you could sneak in some greens by adding a handful of spinach – it will be equally delicious.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE – Revised
Adapted from Avocado Chocolate Pudding by Michelle Babb
1 medium Avocado (1/2 large)
4 -6 Tbsp Cocoa Powder, to taste
3-4 Tbsp Agave, Honey or Maple Syrup (liquid sweeteners work best)
¼ cup Coconut Cream (from canned, full-fat Coconut Milk)
1 tsp Vanilla
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, and process until completely smooth and creamy, with no visible clumps of cocoa powder.
Serving suggestions:
Serve the mousse as is, or scoop the mixture into an icing bag and pipe it into your favorite dishes.
If you can find chocolate shells (usually sold at gourmet food & kitchenware shops) that is also a stunning presentation. Hint: the dark chocolate variety is usually dairy-free.
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